Well installation



0, 1966 J. R. YANCEY 3,269,755

WELL INSTALLATION Original Filed Nov. 18, 1957 5 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTORJOHN R. YANCEY ATTO RN EY Aug. 30, 1966 J. R. YANCEY WELL INSTALLATION 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 18, 1957 INVENTOR JOHN R.YANCEY BY HM& AQWQLW.

ATTORNEY Aug. 30, 1966 J. R. YANCEY 3,269,755

WELL INSTALLATION Original Filed Nov. 18, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYINVENTOR JOHN R. YANCEY BY W /V%YV'J1/VZ;/

United States Patent 3,269,755 WELL INSTALLATEON John R. Yancey,Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to FMC Corporation, SanJose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser.No. 697,195, Nov. 18, 1957. This application Jan. 24, 1961, Ser. No.85,954 Claims. (Cl. 285137) This application is a continuation of UnitedStates application Serial Number 697,195, filed November I8, 1957, forMultiple Tubing Hanger Assembly and now abandoned.

This invention pertains to well installations and more particularly toapparatus for completing a well with one or more tubing strings.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of completing a wellwherein tubing strings and other elements going to make up the completedwell can be installed and manipulated while maintaining the well undercontinuous pressure control during all steps.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus for use in completing awell installation whereby one or more parallel tubing strings can be runinto a well through a blowout preventer and sealed in a tubing headmounted below the blowout preventer.

A further object of the invention is to make it possible to avoid losingpressure control of a well While removing the blowout preventer employedduring completion of the well before installation of the Christmas tree.

Another object is to provide for supporting the tubing hangers directlyfrom the tubing head while removing the blowout preventer andsubstituting a combined hanger and Christmas tree support membertherefor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tubing hanger apparatusfor multiple tubing strings wherein the tubing strings can be connectedto a Christmas tree in a manner permitting one or more of the tubingstrings to be raised or lowered as desired without disconnecting theChristmas tree or disturbing the seal between the well casing and thetubing strings, which seal controls the pressure of the well.

Another object is to provide improved apparatus of the characterdescribed wherein one or more of the tubing strings can be raisedwithout disconnecting the Christmas tree therefrom to unseat packers orrelease one or more of the tubing strings from packers situated in thewell so that the well can be killed or fluids flushed through the tubingand casing, while concurrently maintaining the seal between the tubingstrings and the tubing head.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved multiple tubinghanger apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a tubing head structure installedat a well head and illustrating the improved assembly of the presentinvention in its completed, or operating condition.

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are horizontal sections taken, respectively, onlines 2-2, 33, 44, and 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present inventionwherein one tubing string is movable with the Christmas tree and anotherremains fixed with the casing head.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along line 7-7 of FIG.6.

A completed well assembly of the invention, ready for producing, willfirst be described.

Referring to FIG. 1, a tubing head 10 having an upper flange 58 issecured to the upper end of a well casing Patented August 30, 1966 (notshown). The bore 12 of the tubing head 10 is enlarged at its upper endas indicated at 14, The enlarged portion 14 merges with the bore 12through a tapered seat 16, forming a seating bowl for two seal carriers18 and 20 (FIGS. 1, 4, and 5). The seal carriers 18 and 20 are of sectorshaped cross section and are arranged with their corresponding fiatsurfaces 22 and 24 in abutting relation in a manner permitting the twocarriers 18 and 20 to rest as a unit within the seating bowl of the head10.

The outer arcuate surface of the seal carrier 18 is provided with adownwardly and inwardly tapered shoulder 26, and the seal carrier 20 isprovided with a similar shoulder 28. Both of the shoulders 26 and 28rest on the tapered seat 16 within the bowl of the tubing head 10. Theseal carriers 18 and 20 are provided with arcuate sealing members 30 and32 on their tapered shoulders 26 and 28, respectively, to seal againstthe tapered seat 16 of the tubing head. The flat surfaces 22 and 24 ofthe seal carriers 18 and 20 are provided with sealing strips 34 and 36,respectively, to seal between the carriers.

As shown in FIG. 5, the seal carriers 18 and 20, when seated on thetapered seat 16 within the bowl of the tubing head 10, may be locked inposition independently of each other by hold-down bolts or dogs 132which extend radially through tubing head flange 58 into suitablerecesses 134 in the seal carriers 18 and 20.

The seal carrier 18 is provided with a vertical bore 38 having acounterbore 40 at its upper end to provide an upwardly facing shoulder42. A packing assembly 43, comprising a split ring 44, an annularpacking 46, and a split ring 48, is installed in the counterbore 40 withthe ring 44 seated against the shoulder 42. The ring 48 is installed inthe counterbore 40 above the packing 46 and is forced against thepacking by an externally threaded retaining nut 50 screwed into theupper end of the counterbore 40, so that nut 50 forms part of the sealcarrier 18. A duplicate packing assembly 51, including a ring 52 issimilarly mounted in the bore 54 of the seal carrier 20. A packing nutis also provided for the packing assembly 51, to form part of the sealcarrier 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, the seal carrier 18 is disposed on a tubing stringin a manner permitting vertical movement of the string 90 through thecarrier. The packing assembly 43 prevents passage of fluid between thetubing string and the seal carrier when the tubing string is at rest aswell as during movement of the tubing string through the seal carrier,the seal carrier 20 is similarly mounted on a tubing string and fluidflow between the seal carrier 20 and the tubing string 130 is preventedby the packing assembly 51.

Tubing hangers 76 and 78 are connected to the tubing strings 9t) and130, respectively, female threads 86 on each hanger and male threads 88on each tubing string being provided for the purpose. Since the hangers76 and 78 are identical, *only the hanger 76 will be described indetail. The hanger 76 is a tubular member terminating at its lower endin a downwardly facing abutment surface surrounding the tubing 90. Thefunction of this abutment surface will be explained in connection with adescription of the assembly of the parts that follows this descriptionof the completed well head. Adjacent the upper end of the hanger is aportion 80 of increased diameter, providing a downwardly facing externalshoulder 82. A split ring hanger retainer 84 fits around the hanger withits upper end in abutment with the downwardly facing shoulder 82 formedon the hanger. In FIG. 1, the section is taken at the split in thehanger retainer 84 as it is mounted on hanger 76.

A combined tubing hanger and Christmas tree support member 56 is mountedabove the upper flange 58 of the tubing head 10 and is sealed therewithby a sealing ring 59 seated in opposed annular grooves 60 and 62 formedin the opposed faces of the head and the support member 56,respectively. The tubing head 10 and the support member 56 are boltedtogether by studs 63 threaded int-o the support member 56 and providedwith nuts 64 beneath the flange 58 of the tubing head 10.

Two vertical bores 65 and 66 extend through the support member 56 toreceive the hangers 76 and 78. The upper portion of the support member56 is formed with a large counterbore 68 and an upwardly facing fiatsupporting shoulder 72 is formed at the upper ends of bores 65 and 66upon which the tubing hangers 76 and 78 are supported by means of theabove-mentioned split ring hanger retainers 84. As previously mentioned,the downwardly facing shoulders 82 on the hangers rest on the upperedges of the split ring hanger retainers 84. An annular boss 92 isformed on the outer surface of the lower portion of the hanger 76- andis provided with an annular groove 94 containing an O-ring seal 96engaging the bore 65 in the support member 56.

In accordance with conventional practice the bore 98 through the hanger76 is contoured to receive, in removably locking and sealing engagement,a conventional tubing back pressure valve, used in a manner to behereafter explained, during the installation of the tubing hanger. Thehanger 78 has a similar bore for receiving another back pressure valve.Since FIG. 1 shows a completed well head assembly, the back pressurevalves, which are removed for producing, do not appear in the figure.

The upper end of the hanger 76 is provided with an internal thread 100to which a hoisting tool (not shown) is connected during installation ofthe hanger. The upper end of the hanger 76 also has a tapered seat 102.A sealing ring 104 rests on the seat 102 and a tubular connector 106 hasa downw atrdly and inwardly sloping conical surface 108 that rests onthe sealing ring 104. At its upper end, the connector 106 has anupwardly and inwardly tapered surface 110 upon which a sealing ring 112rests. A similar sealing ring and tubular connector are provided for thehanger 78.

A Christmas tree 114 of the type commonly employed in this type of wellcompletion is fastened to the upper end of the support member 56 bymeans of studs 116 threaded in the upper portion of the support member56 and nuts 117 drawn down on a flange 118 of the Christrnas tree. Asealing ring 122 is seated in annular grooves 125 and 126 in the opposedfaces of the support member 56 and the Christmas tree 114, respectively.The Christmas tree 114 is provided with a bore 119 which registers withthe bore 65 in the support member 56 and with a bore 120 which registerswith the bore 66 in the support member.

The lower end of each of the bores 119 and 120 in the Christmas tree istapered downwardly and outwardly to form a conical seating surface 128which rests on its associated sealing member 112, thereby sealing withthe associated tubular connector.

The method of completing a well with the abovedescribed apparatus willnow be described.

At the beginning of the completion procedure, a conventional blowoutpreventer is attached to the upper flange 58 of the tubing head 10 andhas control of any pressure in the well. Since FIG. 1 shows thecompleted well head assembly, the blowout preventer does not appear inthe figure. Continued pressure control of the well during its completionwith use of the above described apparatus and a conventional blowoutpreventer is maintained in the following manner.

As the tubing string 90 is made up, all but the last section is loweredthrough the blowout preventer, and in accordance with common practice,the blowout preventer controls the pressure in the well during this partof the completion procedure. The seal carrier 18 is then slipped overthe last section of tubing 90 and the hanger 76 is connected to theupper end of the tubing 90.

A hoisting device (not shown) is connected into threads 181) of hanger76. The assembled tubing string 90, carrier 18 and hanger 76 are thenlowered, passing the seal carrier and hanger through the blowoutpreventer until the seal carrier 18 is received into the bowl of thetubing head 10 with the sealing member 30 and the shoulder 26 seatedupon the seat 16. The seal carrier 18 is then secured in position bydogs 132 that are pro vided in the tubing head (FIG. 5).

The hoisting device is removed, leaving the tubing string temporarilysupported in suspended position from the seal carrier 18 with the lowerend 77 of the hanger forming an abutment surface that rests on the upperend or face 19 of the seal carrier. Thus, the hanger 76, the primarypurpose of which is to support the tubing string 90 from the supportmember 56, has a preliminary function of supporting the tubing string 90upon the seal carrier 18. At this stage, the blowout preventer stillcontrols the pressure in the well. Although the abutment surface at thelower end of hanger 76 is shown spaced from the upper end of the sealcarrier 18 in FIG. 1, this is because FIG. 1 shows the completedassembly. The other tubing string 130, seal carrier 20, and hanger 78are then lowered into the well in the manner described in connectionwith the seal carrier 18 and the hanger 76. Back pressure valves are nowinstalled in the bores in the hangers 76 and 78 provided for suchvalves. Since FIG. 1 shows a completed well ready for producing, thesevalves do not appear in that figure.

At this stage the seal carriers 18 and 20 are sealed off with the tubinghead 10 by seals 30 and 3 2, and the seal carriers themselves are sealedtogether by seals 34 and 36. The tubing strings 90 and 130 are slidablysealed to the respective seal carriers by packing assemblies 43 and 51,and the bores of the tubing strings are sealed off by back pressurevalves. Since the hangers, seal carriers and valves as thus installedcontrol the pressure in the well, the blowout preventer can now beremoved without loss of control of pressure within the well.

At this stage in the well completion operation, the hangers 76 and 78project upwardly from the tubing head 10 ready to receive the supportmember 56, which is then lowered over the hangers 76 and 78 and isattached to the tubing head 10.

The hanger 76 is then raised by the hoisting device through the bore 65in the support member 56 a distance sufiicient for the split ring hangerretainer 84 to be placed around the hanger below the shoulder 82. Thehanger 76 is then lowered until the retainer 84 abuts both the shoulder82 on the hanger and the shoulder 72 on the support member 56. Thehanger 76 and tubing string 90 are thereby finally supported fromsupport member 56, and the seal carrier 18 continues to provide a sealbetween the tubing string 90 and the tubing head 10.

The hanger 78 is hoisted in similar manner and another split ring hangerretainer 84 placed in supporting relation between the hanger shoulder aspreviously described in connection with the hanger 76, whereupon thehanger 78 is lowered until the hanger retainer 84 supports the hanger inthe support member 56.

Connectors 106 are then placed in the seats 102 in the hangers, and theChristmas tree 118 is installed on the support member 56, with the bores119 and in the Christmas tree in respective registry with the bores ofthe hangers 76 and 78. The Christmas tree is secured in position bymeans of the studs 116 and nuts 117. The connectors 106 and associatedseals establish a sealed joint between the Christmas tree and each ofthe hangers. The back pressure valves are then removed from the hangers76 and 78 through the Christmas tree.

The Christmas tree and its attachments at this stage are controlling thepressure through the tubing strings, and the inner and outer seals ofthe seal carriers continue to control the pressure in the casing. Also,as

shown in FIG. 1, the sealing rings 59 and 122 provide control of thepressure within the casing for any fluid that might leak between the twoseal carriers, or between the seal carriers and the tubing head.

It is desirable at times to raise the tubing strings to release thetubing from packers situated within the well, or to unseat packersWithin the well which may be connected to one or both of the tubingstrings. In order to accomplish this, the support member 56 is detachedfrom tubing head and the assembly comprising the Christmas tree 114, thesupport member 56 with the hangers 76 and 78, and the tubing strings andconnected thereto are raised as a unit During this operation, the tubingstrings 90 and 130 slide through their respective packings 43 and 51,preserving control of the pressure in the well. Fluid may then becirculated through either or both of tubing strings 90 or 130 to killthe well, to wash out the Well, or for other procedures, as desired.

It is obvious from reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 that, if the well need becompleted with only one tubing string, a seal carrier and an exteriorseal therefor could be provided of circular rather than of sector shape.This circular seal carrier need have but one bore, and the Christmastree and support member need have only one corresponding passageway.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention continued pressurecontrol of the well and tubing strings is maintained throughout theentire well completion operation, even though the blowout preventer isremoved before installation of the Christmas tree.

Another important feature of the invention is that the tubing strings 90and 130 are firmly connected to the Christmas tree 114 by means of thehangers 76 and 78. Consequently, after the nuts 64 have been released,the Christmas tree and the tubing strings and hangers attached theretomay be safely raised and lowered as a unit with respect to the wellcasing as may be required, without destroying the seal therebetween.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a tubing string is mountedin the same manner as described above with respect to FIGS. 1 to 5 andis movable With the Christmas tree 114. However, the tubing 142 on theleft is fixed within the tubing head 10. In this installation, the sealcarrier 18 for the tubing 140 is the same as the corresponding carriershown in FIG. 1. The companion member 144 is formed with the sameexternal configuration as the seal carriers shown in FIG. 1, but itsinner configuration is the same as that of one of the hangers of FIG. 1.

The companion member 144 is thus, in effect, a combined carrier-hangermember. The tubing 142 is threaded into the bottom of the member 144 asindicated at 146. The tubing hanger support member 56a, in thisinstance, is formed with one bore 148 similar to the bore 65 in thefirst described form of the invention and is formed with a recess 68a toprovide an upwardly facing flat surface 72a. The support member 560 isformed with a second bore 150 having tapered seats 152 and 154 at itsupper and lower ends to receive connectors 156 and 158 which provideconnection to a bore 160 of the Christmas tree 114 and the bore throughthe combined carrier-hanger member 144, respectively.

In this latter installation, only the tubing 140 is connected to theChristmas tree 114 and is movable therewith. Before the support member56a is disconnected from the well casing 10 to manipulate the tubing140, therefore, a back pressure valve may be installed through theChristmas tree and into the member 144 to seal the upper end of tubing142.

Installation of this embodiment is made in a manner similar to thatdescribed in connection with the embodiment of FIG. 1 except that thecarrier-hanger 144 is not lifted through and suspended by a retainerfrom the support member 56a. Also, in this instance, only the tubing 140may be lifted through a seal carrier to unseat from a packer within thewell for circulation of fluids. It is to be noted, however, thatcontinuous pressure control is attained with this embodiment as withthat of FIG. 1.

It is manifest that the assembly procedure described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 6 may be reversed to replace the support member 56 or 56awith a blowout preventer, if desired, and still maintain continuouspressure control of the well.

While two embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed herein, further changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The invention having thus been described, what is believed to be new anddesired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a well apparatus, a head member providing a lower bore, a supportmember mounted on said head member and having a plurality of upper borescommunicating with said lower bore, said support member providingannular seats individually surrounding said upper bores, tubular hangersindividually received in said upper bores, said hangers having annularshoulders spaced above their respective seats, each hanger having amaximum outside diameter less than the minimum inside diameter of itsupper bore for free movement of the hangers through the upper bores,tubing strings individually connected to the hangers and projecting downtherefrom, means for preventing the upward flow of fluid between thestrings and between the head member and the strings while allowing thestrings to slide up and down with respect to the head member, means onthe head member for supporting said hangers in a lower position, andrings individually fitted around said hangers and respectivelypositioned between said seats and shoulders so that the strings aresupported on said seats in a position above said lower position, saidrings having portions adjacent to each other.

2. In a well apparatus including a head having a bore, a support memberon the head having a bore communicating with the bore in the head, saidsupport member having a seat disposed circumferentially of its bore, ahanger having a lower end, said hanger projecting into the bore of thesupport member, and pipe hung from the hanger and extending into thebore of the head; the combination of carrier means around the pipe,supported in the head, and having an upper end confronting the lower endof the hanger, the minimum diameter of the bore in the support memberbeing greater than the maximum outside diameter of the hanger, said borein the support member and said carrier means accommodating movement ofthe pipe between a lower position with the pipe supported in the head bythe carrier means, an intermediate position with said lower end spaced apredetermined distance from said upper end of the carrier means, and anupper position with said hanger exposed above the support member andsaid lower end spaced above said upper end by a distance greater thansaid predetermined distance, said carrier means maintaining a sealagainst said pipe during said movement, and retainer means mountable onthe hanger while the pipe is in said upper position and being insertablebetween said hanger and support member during movement of the pipe fromsaid upper position to said intermediate position, said retainer meansengaging said seat for supporting said pipe on the support member in theintermediate position of the pipe.

3. In a well apparatus, a head providing a lower bore, a support memberon the head having a plurality of upper bores communicating with thelower bore, said support member providing annular seats individuallysurrounding said upper bores, said upper bores opening into each otherabove said seats, hangers having lower ends, said hangers individuallyprojecting into the upper bores of the support member, and pipesindividually hung from said hangers and extending into the lower bore;the combination of carrier means individually surrounding said pipes,supported in the lower bore, and having upper ends respectivelyconfronting the lower ends of their associated hangers, the minimumdiameter of each bore in the support member being greater than themaximum outside diameter of its respective hanger, said bores in thesupport member and said carrier means accommodating independent movementof the pipes between lower positions with the lower ends of theirrespective hangers rested on the upper ends of their associated carriermeans so that the pipes are supported in the head by the carrier means,intermediate positions with their lowered ends spaced a predetermineddistance above said upper ends of the carrier means, and upper positionswith said hangers exposed above said support member and their lower endsspaced above said upper ends by a distance greater than saidpredetermined distance, said carrier means maintaining seals againsttheir respective pipes during said movement, and retainer meansindividually mountable on said hangers while their associated p-ipes arein said upper position and insertable between said support member andtheir respective hangers during movement of the pipes from said upperpositions to said intermediate positions, said retainer means engagingsaid seats in the intermediate positions of the pipes for supportingsaid pipes from said support member.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said retainer means includes aplurality of split retainer rings individually fitted in substantiallycircumscribing relation to their respective hangers and contiguous toeach other and to said support member in said intermediate positions ofthe pipes.

5. The well apparatus of claim 3 wherein said head provides a seatingbowl surrounding said lower bore, said carrier means including a pair ofsector shaped carriers having outwardly directed arcuate and taperedsurfaces seated in said bowl and confronting fiat surfaces in engagementwith each other whereby said carriers are supported in said bowl, andwherein the upper end of each carrier has an inside diameter less thanthe outside diameter of the lower end of its associated hanger so thatthe hanger is supported by its carrier when the lower end of the hangerengages the upper end of its carrier.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,869,739 8/1932Dean 285-143 1,876,627 9/1932 Davis 285-137 1,942,213 1/1934 Howard285-143 2,010,284 8/ 1935 Wickersham 285-141 2,122,07'1 6/1938Russmussen 285-141 2,241,288 5/ 1941 Yancey 285-140 2,289,696 7/ 1942Cailloux 285-140 2,390,393 12/1945 Rubly 285-137 2,724,440 11/1955 Moore166-46 2,793,698 5/1957 Tausch 166-46 2,794,505 6/ 1957 Allen.

3,011,552 12/196 1 Rhodes.

3,059,698 10/1962 Burns.

3,132,879 5/1964 Lanmon 285-137 CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

T. F. CALLAG' HAN, S. R. MILLER,

Assistant Examiners.

1. IN A WELL APPARATUS, A HEAD MEMBER PROVIDING A LOWER BORE, A SUPPORTMEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID HEAD MEMBER AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF UPPER BORESCOMMUNICATING WITH SAID LOWER BORE, SAID SUPPORT MEMBER PROVIDINGANNULAR SEATS INDIVIDUALLY SURROUNDING SAID UPPER BORES, TUBULAR HANGERSINDIVIDUALLY RECEIVED IN SAID UPPER BORES, SAID HANGERS HAVING ANNULARSHOULDERS SPACED ABOVE THEIR RESPECTIVE SEATS, EACH HANGER HAVINGMAXIMUM OUTSIDE DIAMETER LESS THAN THE MINIMUM INSIDE DIAMETER OF ITSUPPER BORE FOR FREE MOVEMENT OF THE HANGERS THROUGH THE UPPER BORES,TUBING STRINGS INDIVIDUALLY CONNECTED TO THE HANGERS AND PROJECTING DOWNTHEREFROM, MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE UPWARD FLOW OF FLUID BETWEEN THESTRINGS AND BETWEEN THE HEAD MEMBER AND THE STRINGS WHILE ALLOWING THESTRINGS TO SLIDE UP AND DOWN WITH RESPECT TO THE HEAD MEMBER, MEANS ONTHE HEAD MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING SAID HANGERS IN A LOWER POSITION, SAIDRINGS INDIVIDUALLY FITTED AROUND SAID HANGERS AND RESPECTIVELYPOSITIONED BETWEEN SAID SEATS AND SHOULDERS SO THAT THE STRINGS ARESUPPORTED ON SAID SEATS IN A POSITION ABOVE SAID LOWER POSITION, SAIDSTRINGS HAVING PORTIONS ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER.